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#J/5 


Conf  Pam  12mo  #715 


EVANGELICAL  TRACT  SOCIETY, 


ixtAUT  SUUIETY, ) 

Petersburg,  Va.     J  No.   224. 


WATCH. 

Many  things  in  this  world  tend  to  lull  us  asleep  or  to 
throw  us  off  our  guard.  We  do  not  live  like  men  whose 
hopes  he  beyond  the  grave,  and  who  find  nothing  here 
to  give  them  rest  and  joy.  *     • 

We  forget  that 'it  iV  an  evil  world  in  which  we  live  • 
and  that  throws  us  off  our  guard.     We  forget  that     if 
we  be  Christ's   the  world  is  our  enemy,  and  that  tne 
god  ot  this  world  hates  us,  and  seeks.our  death  •  that 
throws  us  off  our  guard.     We  forget  that  death  is  near 
and  that  the  grave  will  ere  long  open  to  take  us  in-  and 
that  lulls  us  asleep.     We  forget  that  we  have  a  race  to 
run,  a  battle  to  fight,  and  a  prize  to  win ;  we  try  to  make 
earth  look  aa  bright  as  we  can,  aud  to  nmlce  its  plea<mrps 
taste  as  sweet  as  possible ;  we  try  to  make  ourselves  be 
Iieve  that  things  are  not  so  bad  here  as  some  think  th»i 
the  wicked  are  not  so  very  wicked,  that  the  mt^nV 
not  so  forgetful  of  God,  U  that  'the  Church  inot^ 
cold  as  is  said.     Thus  we  are  ttfown  off  our   Tard 
We  fold  our  hands,  we  sit  down  contented,  and  we  fall 
asleep      ft  was  in.  this  state  that  the  apostle  seems  to 
have  found  some -of  the  earlv  churches,    for  thu7h° 
writes-"  And  that,  knowing 'the  time,  that  now  it  is 
high  time  to  awake  out  of  sleep;  for  now  is  our  sal  J 
tion  nearer  than  when  we  believed"    (Rom   xiiif  11) 
But  there  is  one  thing  which,  more  than  all    we  J' 
forgetting,  and  that  is,'-the  coming  of  the  Lord      H* 
.has  told  us  that  He  will  come,  He  has  warned  us  tai^t 
sleeping,  and  He  has  commanded  us  to    Watch      Th 
then,  we  would  press>pon  you.JJs  yours^a  watchful 


% 


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2  WATCH. 

eye?     Are  you  remembering  the   -command—  Watch?* 
Watch  ?     For  whom  ?     For  the  absent  Bridegroom ; 
for  the  coming  Judge;,  for  the  expected  King. 

And  who  is  he  ?  One  whose  name .  is  not  strange  to 
us;  one  whom  we  call  Lord  and  Master,  and  who  calls- 
us  brethren  and  friends.  Jesus  of  Nazareth  is  he  for 
whom  we  watch.  We  know  Him  as  the  man  who  died 
for  us,  and  who  is  coming  to  glorify  us.  We  know  Him 
as  the  Word  made  flesh  ;  the  Incarnate  One ;  the  Lamb 
of  God ;  the  Bearer  of  our  sins,  under  whose  cross  we 
took  refuge  from  the  wrath  of  God  ;  by  whose  stripes  we 
are  healed;  by  whose  suretiship  we  are  set  free;  whose 
love  is  our  joy  and  consolation;  "  in  whom  we  have 
redemption  through  his  blood,  the  forgiveness  of  sins, 
according  to  the  riches  of  his  grace." 

•Watch  !     Why  ?  '  For  many  reasons  ;  but  .chiefly  for 
the  following : — 

I.  He  will  certainly   come.     That  same  Jesus  who 
went  up  to  heaven  shall  in  like  manner  return  (Acts  i. 
11).     It  is  not  more  certain  that  He  has  come  already, 
than  that  He  will  come  again  to  this  very  earth,  from 
which  He  ascended  eighteen  hundred  years  ago.     The 
time  may  seem  long.   .  Scoffers  may  say,  "Where  is  £h<» 
promise    of  his  coming?'"     Unfaithful  followers  ni;; 
say,  "My  Lord  delayeth   his  coming."     But  He  w; 
come  !     No    amount    of  enmity,   antl    opposition,   a. 
scoffing,  can  prevent    this.     The  day  of   the  Lord.^i. 
come  !     Man  cannot  hinder  it';  Satan  cannot  hinder  it. 

II.  He  will  come  suddenly.  In  an  hour -when  we 
think  not,  He  will  come.  He  has  kept  the  clay  and 
hour  of  His  appearing  a  secret,  that  men  may  be  kept 
always  washing.  He  has  not  told  us  of  any  time  that 
is  to  elapse  ere  He  comes.  He  has  not  said,  "You  may 
be  quite  easy  and  contented  about  my  coming,  for  it 
will  not  be  for  many  hunvlveds  or  thousands  of  years." 
He  always  warns  us  to  be  ready,  for  He  will  come  when 
we  look  not   for  Him.     Like  the    swift    burst   of  the 


WATCH.  6 

lightning-flash  He  will  come.  When  men  are  eating, 
drinking,  marrying,  and  giving  in  marriage,  He  will 
come!  Oh,  then,  watch,, for  ye  know  neither  the  day 
nor  the  hour  when  the  Son  of  man  cometh. 

III.  He  will  come  when  the  ivorld  is  asleep.  Men 
will  say  to  themselves,  "  Peace  and  safety — there  is  no 
danger,"  Some'  will  say,  "  My  Lord  delayeth  his  com- 
ing." Others  will  say,  "Where  is  the  promise  of  his 
coming?"  (Others  will  say,  "There  are  no  signs  of 
His  coming."  Others  will  say,  "He  will  not  come  till 
the  whole  world  Has  been  first  converted."  And  thus 
they  will  "take  their  ease,  cat,  drink,  and  be  merry." 
They  will  fall  asleep ;  and  then,  when  they  are  asleep, 
and  dreaming  of  prosperous  times,  and  gay  hopes,  and 
a  happy  world — then  the  trumpet  sounds,  the  shout  is 
heard,  the  Son  of  man  is  come  !  Where,  then,  are 
•your  lamps  ?  Where  is  the  oil  ?  .  Where  are  your  gird- 
ed loins  ?  Where  is  the  ready  haste  to  go  forth  to  meet 
the  Bridegroom  V  Oh,  watch  J  "Behold,  I  come  as  a 
thief;  blessed  is  he  that  watcheth!" 

But  what  is  lie  coming  to  do?  Many  things,  the 
half  of  which  we  cannot  here  speak  of;  but  chiefly  such 
uese:- — 

I.  He  comes  to  take,  up  His  saints  (1  Thess.  tv.  16). 
for  them,  first  of  all,  that  He  conies.     lie  raises 

■  lead  saints,  and  changes  the  living  ones,  and  then, 
i.nis    band,   lie  takes  them    up    into  "the- 
dlouds, "    to  meet  Him  in  the  air.     Are  you  ready  to 
meet  Him?     Are  you  longing  to  be*  thus  caught*  up, 
and  to  be  for  ever  with  the  Lord  ?  «• 

II.  Me  comes  to  take  vengeance  on  them  that  know  not 
God  (2  Thess.  i.  8).  AVhen  He  comes,  there  will  be 
little  faith  on  the  earth.  Evil  men  will  bo  waxing  worse 
and  worse.  Antichrist  will  be  at  his  height.  All  man- 
ner  of  sin  will  be  flowing  over  the  earth.     He  comes  as 

I  J  udge,  to  x \  ju  dgt  ;  h . "      He  comes  with 

His  rod  of  iron,  to  smite  the  nations  in  pieces.    He  comes  • 


4  WATCH. 

iij  flaming  fire,  to  burn  up  the  ungodly.  What  a  day  of 
flame,  and  blood,  and  terror,  and  wailing  will  that  be  ! 
Oh,  world,  how  unready  for  that  hour  of  woe ! 

III.  He  comes  to  bind  Satan  (Rev.  x?.  1,  2).  Satan 
has  long  gone  to  and  fro  through  the  earth,  walking  up 
and  down  in  it  (Job  i.  7).  He  tempted  our  first  parents, 
and  led  them  into  sin.  Since  that  day  he  has  been 
going  about,  with  his  angels,  doing  the  same  awful  work, 
laying  snares  for  men,  and  leading  them  captive  at  his 
will.  But  he  will  be  bound  when  the  Lord  comes,  and 
not  be  permitted  to  deceive  the  nations.  "  This  will  be 
the  bruising  of  the  serpent's  head.  And  how  gladly 
should  we  long  for  the  day  of  Satan's  binding,  know- 
ing, as  we  do,  his  malice,  his  cunning,  and  his  power! 
*  IV.  He  comes  to  make  all  things  neiv.  Creation  has 
long  suffered  for  man's  sin,  and  the  curse  has  made  it> 
groan.  Its  cries  are  going  up  into  the  ears  of  the  Lord 
God  of  hosts,  and  the  day  of  its  deliverance  is  coming. 
(Rom.  viii.  19-23).  He  will  then  .make  this  earth :  of 
ours  like  Paradise — a  holy,  happy,  fruitful,  glorious 
world. 

V.  He  comes  to  reign  in  righteousness  (Isa.  xxiv.  23).. 
He  is  the  earth's  true  King,  and  never  will  it  be  bless- 
ed or  holy  till  He  comes  to  rule  it.  The  best  of  kings 
have  not  been  able  to  rule  it  aright,  so  as  to  establish 
peace,  and  order,  and  righteousness  ;  but  He  will  do  all 
this;  He  is  the  righteous  King,  and  He  will  make 
His  kingdom,  and. all  that  dwell  therein,  righteous  like 
Himself.  He  will  make  this  earth' new ;  and  they  that 
dwell  in  it  shall  be  holy. 

It  is  for  the  arrival  of  this  King  that  we  are  to  watch. 
Surely,  in  these  last*  days,  we  should  be  awake,  and  on 
our  guard.     It  is  so  long  since'He  said,  "  Surely  I  come 
*   quickly,  "  that  His  coming  must  now  be  very  near. 

Church  of  God  !  gird  up  thy  loins  ;  trim  thy  lamp; 
see  that  there  is  oil  in  thy  vessels.  The  Lord  is  at 
hand.  Put  away  sloth  and  vanity,  and  worldliness,  and 
prepare  to  meet  Him,  that  that  day  may  not  overtake 


WATCH.  5 

thee  unawares.  The  world  is  fast  ripening  for  wrath 
and  shame,— -art  thou  ripening  for  glory  and  the  king- 
dom ?  Be  holy,  be  prayerful,  be  loving,  be  zealous,  be 
liberal,  be  generous,  Heap  noj;  up  treasure  for  the  last 
days,  but  spen(^and  be  spent  for  God.  Up  from  your 
couch  !  Have  done  with  ease  and  sloth !  Your  King  is 
already  on  His  way,  and  these  tossings  of  kingdoms  are 
the  sounds  of  His  chariot-wheels.  The  world's  last  days 
have  come.  The  rivers  of  earth  are  beginning  to  swell 
with  the  last  sweeping  flood.'  O  gird  up  your  loins ! 
Enter,  your  chambers.  "  The  name  of  the  Lord  is  your 
strong  tower;  the  righteous  runneth  into  it  and  is  safe." 
"  He  that  dwelleth  in  the  secret  place  of  the  Most  High 
shall  abide  under  the  shadow  of  the  Almighty." 

Poor  .world  !  what  is  to  become  of  thee  in  that  day? 
Thy  day  may  seem  at  present. bright  and  fair;  but  its 
end  will  be  darkness,  and  storm,  and  woe  !  Man  of  the 
world !  where  is  your  wisdom,  your  foresight,  your  con- 
cern for  the  future  ?  Are  you  blind  ?  or  are  you  resolved 
not  to  see  what  is  coming  on  the  earth  ?  Is  this  heed- 
lessness of  yours  worthy  of  an  immortal  being  ?  Is  it  not 
madness  ?  Pleasure  !  Where  will  it  then  be  ?  Money  ! 
Wnac  will  become  oi  it V-  Muith  !  What  is  its  end? 
Child  of  vanity,  lover  of  sin,  captive  of  the  devil,  leave- 
leave  that  Egypt,  that  Babjlon,  that  Sodom,  in  which 
thou  hast  so  long  dwelt,  and  escape  for  thy  life.  For 
the  fire  is  about  to  be  kindled,  which  shall  burn  them 
up ;  and  wrath  is  coming,  and  the  Judge  is  coming,  %nd 
despair  is  coming.  Oh,  trifle)  not  with  time;  trifle. not 
with  eternity  ;  trifle  not  with  the  everlasting  burnings ! 
Turn  ye,  turn*  ye  ;  why  will  yi  die  ?  To  the  last  hour 
of  earth's  rebellious  day  Christ  keeps  open  the  gate,  and 
sends  out  His'welcome, — "  I  will  give  to  him  t;hat  is 
athirst  of  the  fountain  of  the  witer  of  life  freely."  (Rev. 
xxi.  6;  xxii.  17).  That  fountain  is  not  dried  up  in  these 
last  days.  Its  fulness  is  the  same  as  at  the  first.  You 
have  been  long  of  coming  to  it,  but  it  still  &tand3  open, 


6  SCRIPTURE  PRAYERS. 

and  all  its  waters  are  free  !  To  drink  of  it  is  to  thirst 
no  more.  To  drink  of  it  is  to  be  fully  refreshed  and 
satisfied.  The  gladness  which  it  pours  into  the  soul  is 
more  than  words  can  tell ;  and  it  is  the  beginning  of  that 
endless  gladness  which  is  at  God's  right  l^nd,  in  bhe 
kingdom  hereafter.  • 

This  world  has  no  fountains  to  which  you  can  go.  It 
has  no  living  waters  which  might  refresh  your  weary, 
thirsty  spirit.  *  It' has  nothing  but  its  sands  and  rocks, 
its  briers  and  thorns.  For  it  is  a  desert.  It  has  been  • 
so  since  man  fell,  and  it  never  can  be  otherwise  until  all 
things  are  made  new.  But  there  are  wells  of  living  . 
water  set  open  for  you  in  Him  who  came  into  this  very 
world  of  .yours,  that  He  might  bring  to  you  all  the  ful- 
ness of  the  Father's  love,  and  present  to  you  all  the 
peace  of  heavei  .  without  price  or  money.  Drink  out  of 
this  open  well.  Drink,  and  you  will  find  refreshment 
and  joy. 

But,  remember — Christ  is  coming;"  and  when  He 
comes,  this  well  of  living  waters  will  be  closed  against 
you.  He  comes  to  close  it  against  all  those  who  have 
refused  the  gospel  of  His  love.  Make  haste,  then;  for* 
in  such  an  hoi 


Hear  my  cry,  0  God  ;  attend  unto  my  grayer.  From 
the  end  of  the*  earth  will  I  cry  unto  thee  ;  when  my 
heart  is  overwhelmed,  lead  me  to  the  Rock  that  is  higher 
than  I. 

Be  merciful  to  me,  0  God,  be  merciful  to  me,  for  my 
soul  trusteth  in  thee.  Yea,  in  the  shadow  of  thy  wings 
will  I  make  my  refuge,  until  these  calamities  be  overpast. 
For  thy  mercy  is  great  unto  the  heavens,  and  thy  truth 
unto  the  clout; 


rejoice  tn^  ._ 

do  I  lift  up  my  sotu  , 

to  forgive,  and  plenteous  in 

call  upon  thee.     Teach  me  thy  way,  0  lioiu., 

walk  in  thy  truth ;  unite  my  heart  to  fear  thy  name.    . 

I  will  praise  thee,  0  Lord,  for  it  is  good,  and  praise  is 
comely.  I  will  sing  praises  unto  •  thy  name,  0  Most 
High !  I  will  shew  forth  thy  loving-kmdness  in  the 
morning,  and  thy  faithfulness  every  night.  While  I  live 
I  will  bless  the  Lord,  and  will  sing  praise  unto  my  God 
while  I  have  my  being. 

Thou  art- gracious    and  merciful,   long-suffering,  and 

slow  to  wrath  ;  abimdafct  in  goodness  and  truth,  keeping 

mercy  for  thousands,  forgiving  iniquity,  transgression, 

"  and  sin.     0  renumber  not  against  me  former  iniquities  : 

jjp^<m.4*  :v   prevent  me,     HeaJ  me, 

and  I  shall  be  healea,  lor  taWPurlTuy  praise.  .  Make  ,^y 
face  to  shine  upon  me,  and  be  gracious  to  me ;  lift  up 
thy  countenance  upon  me,  and  give  me  peace.  0  visit 
me  with  thy  salvation,  that  I  may  see  the  good  of  thy 
chosen,  and  may  rejoice  in  the  gladness  of  thy  nation, 
and  may  glory  with  tliine  inheritance  ! 

May  the  God  of  hope  fill  me  with  all  joy  and  peace  in 
believing,  that  I  may  abounjl  in  hope  through  the  power 
of  the  Holy  Ghost.  The  very  God  of  peace  sanctify 
me' wholly  ;  and  may  my  ay  hole  spirit,  soul  and  body,  be 
preserved  blameless  unto  tlu  coming  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Chri 


w,  lceep  - 


.  v"  -amps  be  always  burning,   - 
*\\^   £  ^et  us  watch  while  others  sleep  • 
v-      We're  no  longer  of  the  night,         . 
We  are  children  of  the  light. 

Being  of  the  blessed  number 
Whom  the  Saviour  calls  His  o'wn, 

'Tis  not  meet  that  we  should  slumber 
When  the  night  is  almost  gone, 

And  from  heaven  is  heard  the  cry 

Which  proclaims  the  Bridegroom  nigh, 


HYMN. 


When  heaves  with  sighs  n         j         breast 

In  doubt  if  gra»  « 
A  still  small  re  A  .  t— ' 

And  tub  in  happiness 

When  earth  and  hell,  irt 

To  wound,  destroy 
Through  grace  I  act  i  part— 

And  this  15  haj 

Wounded,  perplex  1;  ha;.  |,  . 

While  from  t  /36 

God  in  the  battle  sh.  ' 

And  this  is  happin  - 

.ia.il  my  fainting  soul  r '-,new — 
This  will  be  happiness  for  m e. 


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